Reflector device



28,- 1940. l J. RAUCH ET AL 2,202,168 REFLECTOR DEVICE Filed Maroh so, 1939 hll I J v v ENTOR ATTORNEYS Pat entefl May 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2202168 REFLECTOR DEVIOE Louis J. Rauch am! Philip Rauch, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application Max-eh 30,

3 Claims.

This invention relates t signalling er indi- Several well known forms of the'se devices are composed of a series of suitably mounted reflecting units, each con'sisting of a glass lens and an individual supporting casing whichembraces the 1ens and holds it in proper spaced relation to a reflecting surface an the inside of the casing. These refiecting units are usually mounted in groups with their lenses projecting through openihgs in the front wa.ll of he device, means such as an inside partition or a back wall being provided to hold them in pla.ce and. pravent dislocation thereof.

An object cf the present invention is to provide an improved type ot' refiector construction which possesses optimum strength, durability and reflecting efflciency, and at the same time is more easily and more economically manufam tured than the above menti oxied or otheracceptable devic9s known 420 the art. Thus it is a particular object of the invention to dispense with the said individual 1eflecting units and to provide a construction enabling simultaneous nesting and focusing of the entire series of lenses Whil'e avoiding practical obstacles in manufacturing operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reflector construction composed of a few parts which may be force-fitted together in a permariently compact and shock resisting unit Without dangex of impairing the uniform re-1 flecting power and focus of the lenses.

Illustrative details of reflector constructions embodying the invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawing and desc'ribed hereinafter, while the essentials and sc "ope of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. In the 4 drawing,

of the invention.

Figzzre 2 is a: slightly enlarged section' taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a se ction through one of the mounting elements of the device, indicating the flrst step in combini'ng it with iefiecting cups in order to form the back all.

Figure 4 shows the next step in forming the 55 Wall.

Figiue 1 is a rear elevation of one embodiinent 1939, Seri al No.- 264,891

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 6 is a. sectional view an the line 86 of Figure 5.

Figures 1 to 4 cf the drawing illustrate a waming device er refiector embodying our invention, which is adapted particularly for use on vehicles. The device c0nsists essentially of only a few parts, including a front wa1l I0, a. back Wall I2 and a group of lenses I4. formed with a series oi openings I6 which are arranged in accordance with the desired design of the lenses and are of a siz e adapted to nonfine the lenses behind the front wall while perxnittlng parts thereof to project beyond the margins of the openings. The freut wall preferably has Integral extensions constituting a side en- A closure I8 and, when desi red a marginal fiange for use in attaching the device to supporting structure, either by means of a bracket 22 secured 20 'to flange 20 or by means of fastening elements passing through openings 24 in the fiange and secured to an adjacent support.

In accordanne with our invention the back Wall I2 is made, of sheet.metal or dther'suitable 25 rigid materlal having a. series of backwardly extending reflecting cups 28 die-pressed thereinto, each cup 26 being firmly held as a part. of the all by permanent frictional engagement with a. surrounding flange 28 and each having on its inside bottomi wall a polished surface 30 of silver, chromium or the like for refiecting light: received by said surface. In the construction of this back Wall a sheet of inexpensive metal stock is stamped so as t'o Term a body portion 3I, a side wa1l 32 which f1ts adjacent the side enclosure I0 on the front wa1l, and a group of open.ings 34 arranged to register with the openings I8 in the front Wall and bordered by backwardly extening flanges 28. If desired, the side Wall 82 may be extended. into a marginal flange 38 lying adjacent fiange 20. The cps 2Iiare made separately, out of lighter andmore ductile metal stock than the body por- I;ion 3I. Each cup consists cf a bottom wall having an inside reflecting surface 30. a substantially cylindrical wall 40 and a lateral lip 42. The outside face cf wal1 40 initially is o1 slightly greater diameter than fianges 28 (see Figure 3). In combining cups 26 with the body portion 3I of Ishis stamped metal sheet, it is necessary oxily to die-press the cups into the openings 34, as indicated in Figures 3 am! 4. The completed back wall I2 then comprisesa body portion having a. group of openings adapted to The front; wall is register with the openlngsln the front wall, integral flanges extenc'ing from these openings, and cnp portions permanently held in intimate frictional engagement with the flanges, the cup portions including inside reflecting surfaces, all of which are spaced uniformly from seats for the lenses. (See Figure 4.)

The distance of the spacing betwezn lips 42 and reflect ing surface s 30 and the diameter of the lips 42 preferably are determined in relation to the radius of the spherical lenses and the index of refraction of the glass in Order to provide the optimum accuracy of focns for the lenses to be seated on the cup lips.

The further assembly of the improved reflector device will now be apparent. The mere placing of lenses M over the openings in back wall I2 focuses the lenses accurately so that light received by them will be transmitted to the reflecting surfaces 30 and then reflected back through the lenses. The lenses may be located on the back wall, the front wall then positioned over the lenses and back wall and the freut and back -walls then secured together as by fastening elements M. Alternatively, the lenses may be placed in the openings of the front wall and the back wall then positioned and secured thereto, which results in simultaneous nesting and focusing of all the lenses. Force-fitting of the parts into a compact, durable dev ice in no way afiects the sei; of the cups or the focus o1 the lenses relative to the refiecting surfaces in the cups. The completely assembled device appears in Fignre 2. As indicated in this figure, we prefer to inc-lude in the device a perforate gasket 46, of cork or other yieldable material, which provides a cushion holding the lenses in prolaer position and preventing dislocation er loosening of parts of the device during use.

Another form of warning device or reflector of the type used on vehicles is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. As indicated in the drawing, the design 0f the dievices may be varied widely by employing different"groupings of the lenses. Aside from the difference in design, the device of Fieures 5 and 6 differs from that of Figures 1 tol 4 only in respect of the constructlon of the back wall and the facilities provided for attaching the device to supporting structure. The material of the front wall I(Ill in this form includes a lateral ex-' tension lll2, from which preferably projacts a tongue l06 suitable for attachment tothe Usual license platze bracket of an automobile. The back wall IM may include a forwardly extendin margin I'll! lying adjacent extenslon I02 of the front wall. The body portion l0ll of back wall IM in this embodiment is spaced considerably from the front wall and is provided with forwardly extendlng flanges III! surrounding openings II2. The complete back Wall is formed by diepresslng cups IN uniformly into these openings in permanent frictional engagement with flanges II'0, substantially as in the embodiment of Fi ures 1 to 4. In other respects, the embodiment of Figure 5 includes features of construction shown in Figures 1 to 4.

An important advantage of nur impr0ved devlces is that they may hie, constructed from inexpensive sheet metal by simple, relatively inexpensive manufactur-ing operations and simple methods of assembly, yet they possess superior refiecting qualities due to the uniformly accurate focns of all the lenses, and they are extraordinarily strong and durable.

We understand that changes in detalls of the illustrated embodiments may be made without departing from essentials of the inventlon. We therefore intend that the invention be accorded a scope commensurate with the requirements-of the claims.

We claim:

1. A reflecting device comprising a front wall having a series of ope'nings therein and an angularly extended portion frming a side enclosure, another wall secured in spaced relation to the front wall and having a side portion fitting inside of and adja'cent said side enclosure, a series of lenses located between and confined in place by said walls with portions of said lenses projecting through said openings, said other wall including a body portion having a series of flanged openings therein registering With said lenses'and a series of relatively ductile cups disposed inside of said flanged openings and die-pressed into permanent frictional engagement with the flanges thereof, said cups having polished reflecting surfaces inside '0f the same and spaced backwardly from and in uniform focused relation to said lenses.

2. A refiecting device comprising a front wall having a series of openings therein another wall secured in parallel and spaced relation to said front wall, said other wall including a body portion having a series of annular fianges extending substantially vertically therefrom with the openings in said front wall and a corresponding series of cups disposed within said annular flanges and uniformly die-pressed into permanent frictional engagement with said flanges, a series of spherical glass lenses located between and confined in place by said cups and said front wall so as to project through the openings in the latter, said cups having curved refiecting surfaces inside the same in uniformly spaced and focused relation to said lenses, and means holding the parts firmly together.

3. A reflecting device comprising a front Wall having a series of openings therein and an angularly extended portion forming a side enclosure, another wall secured in spaced relation to the frontr wall and having a side portion fitting inside of and adjacent said side enclosure, a series of lenses located between and confined in place by said Walls with portions of said lenses projecti'ng through said openings, said other wall including a body portion having a series of flanged openingS therein registering with said lenses, and a series of relatively-ductile cups disposed inside said flnged openings and die-pressed into permanent frictional engagement with the flanges thereof,- said cups having polished reflecting surfaces inside pi the same and spaced backwardly from and in uniform focused relation to said lenses, and a layer of resilient cushioning material disposed between said Walls and having a series of openings therein closely surroundihg Said lenses.

LOUIS J. RAUCH.

PHILIP RAUCH.

in registry 

